Project Refresh

Comprehensive Global Membership Study

What we will cover today

1. Introduction
2. Non-member survey
3. Former member survey

4. Lion survey highlights

5. Key takeaways and next steps

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I. Introduction

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Why do this study?
• Too many clubs have lost their vitality
– 3 out of 5 clubs did not grow
– A third had no new members
• We need to learn what is going on and what we can do

2010 – 11

4
Research helps us understand. . .
• Why some clubs are growing whereas others are shrinking

• What are the predictors of successful clubs

• Description of the “Ideal” club types

• The future of club traditions

• What successful Lions do to manage their clubs

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Research phases

1. Data-mining Statistical analysis of growth patterns of club

and membership (11 years of data)

2. Lion survey Surveyed over 7,800 Lions from 134 countries

in all 11 languages about their experience

1+2=3. Profile the types of successful as well

as challenged clubs

4. Former/Non-Lion Surveyed over 1,500 former members (English)

survey Surveyed over 2,100 non-Lions (N.Amer. only)

5. Showcase Gold Online focus groups in English with members

Clubs in clubs from 22 countries

6. Women & Family An in-depth analyses of women and family

members

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2. Non-member survey

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 Interest in volunteering in a group higher among women

Interest in Volunteering
Agreed at 4 or higher on a 6 point scale:
• “I believe it is very important to
volunteer for charitable organizations”
• “I am/would like to be active in the local
community”
• “I am likely to consider volunteering for
a Charitable service organization”

More Women Interested than Men

Men
42%

Women
58%

Source: Project Refresh Phase 4 Survey of North American Non-Lions 8

 Lions clubs has the highest awareness

Lions Clubs 73%

Rotary 69%

Kiwanis 63%

Knights of Columbus 63%

Masons 55%

Elks 47%

Optimists 32%

None of the above 14%

Source: Project Refresh Phase 5 Survey of Non Lions (Total Contact Sample) 9
 Non-Lions perceive us as helping others
Q: How well do each of the following statements describe
Lions clubs? (% scored 5 or 6 out of 6)

Source: Project Refresh Phase 5 Survey of Non Lions (Total Willing to Volunteer) 10
 However, our customs alone are not a draw
Q: How much do you think that you would appreciate each of the
following unique aspects of Lions club? (% scored 5 or 6 out of 6)

Source: Project Refresh Phase 5 Survey of Non Lions (Total Willing to Volunteer) 11
 6 types of non-Lions interested in volunteering identified
 They all agree that providing services that directly help others, helping the
local community, and offering opportunities for both men and women to
participate are important
Beyond Only
Local Local
8% 5% Casual
Family
8%
8%

Networking
9%
Low Interest
62%

Source: Project Refresh Phase 4 Survey of Non Lions (Total Contact Sample) 12
3. Former member survey

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 Most former Lions had a positive experience
Q: In general, how would you describe your overall
experience with Lions Clubs?

81% Positive

19% Negative

Source: Project Refresh Phase 4 Survey of Former Lions 14

 Look beyond lifestyle changes to identify frustrations

Q: How well do the following reasons describe why you

are no longer a Lion? (% scoring 5 or 6 out of 6)

75% of Former Lions

had an issue with the
club

Source: Project Refresh Phase 4 Survey of Former Lions 1515

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 Top 5 reasons why members quit
Q: How well do the following reasons describe why you are no
longer a Lion? (% scoring 5 or 6 out of 6)

Not enough younger members 43%

The meetings were unproductive 41%

The meetings were not enjoyable 33%

I felt like I did not belong 32%

The club felt too political 32%

% Scoring 5 or 6 out of 6 on describes perfectly

Excludes those who sited lifestyle change only
Source: Project Refresh Phase 4 Survey of Former Lions 16
 Next 5 reasons why members quit
Q: How well do the following reasons describe why you are no longer a
Lion? (% scoring 5 or 6 out of 6)

Lions feels too old-fashioned and stodgy 31

I liked the club, but there were personal

29
lifestyle changes

Not enough focus on helping members of

28
the community

Not the types of services for the

27
community interested me

Leadership in my club changed and I didn't

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like the change

% Scoring 5 or 6 out of 6 on describes perfectly. Excludes those who cited lifestyle change only
Source: Project Refresh Phase 4 Former Lions Survey 17
Poor service experience was a major source of dissatisfaction

Q: How well do the following statements describe your former

Lions club? (scored 5 or 6 out of 6)

Gap Purely Life Change Issue with Lions

-39 Provides valuable services that directly 90%

help others 51%

-37 Ensures that the activity helps the local 88%

community 51%

-33 Raises significant funds for various 78%

charitable projects 45%

Encourages members to take a 74%

-34 leadership role at some point 40%

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Club culture made a big difference too

Q: How well do the following statements describe your former

Lions club? (scored 5 or 6 out of 6)
Gap Life Style Change Only Had Issues

-49 Very welcoming and makes me feel as though I 85%

belong 36%

-20 Offers opportunities for men & women to participate 78%

58%

-43 Provides opportunities to socialize with other 77%

members 34%

-37 Welcomes diversity in its membership 78%

41%
-31 Embraces technology whenever possible 53%
22%

+11 Members are all very similar to one another 24%

35%
+35 There are many cliques that I do not feel a part of 12%
47%

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4. Lion data-mining and survey
highlights

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 NA clubs’ success rates by club size trends with the worldwide average

 Clubs with more than 16 members are significantly less likely to close in 10 years
 One quarter of clubs with 21- 25 members will close in 10 years

% of Clubs Active within 10 Years

World
97% 98%
N. America 93% 95%
90%
85% 97% 97%
93% 95%
76% 89%
71% 83%
74%
57%
61%
39% 53%

38%
Clubs smaller than 15 are less likely
to survive beyond 10 years

1-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-50 51-60 61+

Source: Project Refresh Phase 1 LCI DB 21

 New clubs with more than 25 members significantly more likely to stay

 The survival rate for new clubs tends to be lower than the worldwide average.
 New clubs forming with 26-30 or more members have a much better chance of
remaining active
Club Survival Rate within 10 Years

World
N. America
86% 87% 86%
83% 83%
79%
77% 76%
75%
70% 70%

61%
59%
54%
% of All
14% 34% 21% 12% 8% 6% 3% 2% New
Clubs

20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-50 51-60 61+

Charter Size
Source: Project Refresh Phase 1 LCI DB. 51+ charter size to small to calculate survival rate 22
 Percent of Clubs by Female Composition
• North America has fewer clubs with no women (14% vs. 25%).
• 43% have more than 30% women members (vs. 37% for the world).

37% of all 43% of NA

clubs are clubs are more
more than than 30%
30% women
women

*Note: Calculated for fiscal year 2012 among all clubs that are currently active
Source: Project Refresh Phase 1 LCI DB 23
 Lions do not represent the make-up of North America

• More than half the population lives in a Suburban area or

Second City
• Vast majority of Lions are in smaller communities
100 5
11
90 10
28%
80 13
28
70 59%
% of Population

60 Urban
50 20 Suburban
40 Second City
72 Town & Country
30
20 41
10
0
Population Lions Clubs
Source: Project Refresh Phase 1 LCI DB, Claritas Prizim database 24
 Lions show little age diversity across geographies
• Even though the ages of people living in the types of communities vary
drastically
• Town & Country skews older (matching the current Lions profile) whereas
Suburban and Urban skew much younger

Non Lions Lions

Second Town & Second Town &
Age Total Urban Suburban City Country Age Total Urban Suburban City Country
<24 5 6 7 3 3 <30 4 6 2 7 3
25 to 34 17 29 15 20 13 30 to 39 7 4 8 4 6
35 to 44 15 19 21 14 9 40 to 49 13 9 12 10 14
45 to 54 20 11 12 41 18 50 to 59 21 22 22 21 21
55 to 64 13 14 10 5 19 60 to 69 26 26 23 24 28
65 to 74 18 13 15 15 23 70 to 79 17 19 16 17 19
75+ 4 4 7 1 5 80 to 89 11 14 17 17 9
90+ 1 - 2 1 0
(Those with some interest in service-based volunteering)

Source: Project Refresh Ph 2 Current Lions Survey, Ph 4 Non-Lions Survey , Claritas Prizim database 25
Service the #1 reason why members joined

Q: How well do each of the following statements describe the reasons

why you became a Lion? (scored 5 or 6 out of 6)

To serve the community where I live 86%

To participate in a specific service or cause 57%

Be with friends who were already members 41%

Opportunities to become a leader in the community 31%

Be with other family members who were members 21%

Support a friend running for office in the club 21%

To network to grow my own career/business 18%

For the prestige of being part of a large international
org. 17%

To receive tangible recognition 8%

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 Classified clubs by satisfaction and member growth

Gold Clubs have

Growing
highly satisfied
members and
Gold are stable or
Membership

Clubs growing
27%
World = 32%

Shrinking
Low High
Satisfaction
Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 27
On the surface Gold and Blue clubs are similar
• Demographically, there are no significant differences on:
 Gender
 Age
 Marital Status
 Presence of children
 Education
 Work status
 Income
• Clubs were similar in average years since charter

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 Gold clubs are larger and growing

Avg. % Growth
2001-01 vs. 2011-01

61%

-36%

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 29

 6 behavioral and attitudinal segments
Clustered by
description of their Gold Clubs
club 1. Family = 7%
2. Social = 10%
3. Philanthropic = 10%
Members of Stable/Growing
Clubs who are Satisfied
27%

Members of Shrinking Clubs

or Members who are
Dissatisfied Blue Clubs
73%
1. Want Openness = 18%
2. Want Support = 30%
Clustered by wishes 3. Want Gender Balance =
and Frustrations 25%
Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 30
 Profiles of the Gold clubs

Philan-
Family Social
thropic
Clubs Clubs
Clubs
7% 10%
10%

Want
Want Want
Gender
Openness Support
Balance
19% 30%
25%

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 31

 Gold club characteristics
Q: How well do the following statements describe your Lions club? (% Scoring 5 or 6 out of 6)

Philan-
Family TOTAL Family Social thropic
Finds ways to involve the children and families of members 39 92 18 22

Philan-
Social TOTAL Family Social thropic
Has regular meetings with other members to allow us to socialize 58 74 87 33
Is very welcoming and makes me feel as though I belong 68 80 81 72
Has regular meetings with other members to plan upcoming
initiatives 60 77 81 49
Provides opportunities to socialize with other members whom I
enjoy 64 80 77 59
Incorporates a sense of fun into the service activities 61 79 76 59
Philan-
Philanthropic TOTAL Family Social thropic
Provides valuable services that directly help others 76 88 82 93
Raises significant funds for various charitable projects 62 70 67 87
Ensures that the activity helps the local community where I live 70 77 78 86

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions Legend: 10 points Higher Lower 32
 Family clubs
• These clubs find ways to involve the children and families of
members
• Members volunteer the most time per month and contribute a
very significant portion of their income
• Members most likely to describe there club to:
 Provide valuable services to the community
 Foster an environment of inclusiveness and belonging
 Provide opportunities for members to socialize, and
 Incorporate a sense of fun into the service activities.
• They are savvy members who are knowledgeable about the
organization and have taken advantage of support and
training from LCI HQ, District leadership, and club mentors

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 33

 Social clubs
• More focused on the social aspects of volunteering
 However, they are not motivated to include family
• They are more likely to have regular meetings with other
members for the purpose of socializing and, secondarily,
planning upcoming events
• They make members feel welcome, provide social
opportunities, and incorporate a sense of fun into the service
activities

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 34

 Philanthropic clubs
• Their top two drivers are:
 Raise significant funds for various charitable projects
 Ensures that the activity helps the local community where they live
• They are significantly more likely to provide valuable services
that directly help others
• They tend to be less social and are less likely to have
meetings for either planning upcoming initiatives or socializing
 They are also not motivated to include family in club life.

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 35

 Profiles of the Blue “challenged” clubs

Philan-
Family Social
thropic
Clubs Clubs
Clubs
7% 10%
10%

Want
Want Want
Gender
Openness Support
Balance
19% 30%
25%

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 36

 Blue club characteristics
Q: How much do you agree that the following statements describe any wishes or frustrations
that you may feel toward Lions club? (% Scoring 5 or 6 out of 6)

Want Openness TOTAL Openness Support

Gender
Balance
More protections need to be in place to ensure that club funds are
used properly 29 55 11 14
More protections need to be in place to ensure that club elections are
run fairly 23 45 7 12

Want Support TOTAL Openness Support

Gender
Balance
I wish our club had more members 70 66 78 76
I wish that I was more knowledgeable about the services that other
Lions clubs are providing around the world 44 39 46 41
I would like for the District Leadership to provide more inspiration for
our club 41 40 40 38
I wish that I was more knowledgeable about Lions Clubs International
structure 37 35 39 34
I would like for the District Leadership to better support our club 38 40 35 35
I would appreciate having a mentor to help explain things to me
29 31 29 22

Want Gender Balance TOTAL Openness Support

Gender
Balance

I would like for our club to more equally involve both men and women 41 38 13 67
I wish that our club would allow more women to serve in leadership
roles 38 35 9 58
Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions Legend: 10 points Higher Lower 37
 Want Openness
• The majority of members in these clubs want transparency to
see that club funds are used properly
• Significantly more of these members also want reassurance
that club elections are run fairly
• These clubs are very important because:
 They donate the highest percentage of their income to Lions Clubs
 2nd highest in terms of how much time they volunteer and how much they
contribute to LCIF
• Only a minority of members of this type of club believe that
they have any influence in their club or are satisfied by the
rewards that they receive for their investment of time and
money.

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 38

 What Gold clubs do to foster openness

• Nominations can be made by any

member
Nomination •Positions are available to all
•Avoid “next in line” approaches
Elections
•Advanced notice
Operation •Formal ballots
•Results are open

• Monthly financial reports shared at

meetings
• Statements and books available to
Finance anyone
• Regular audits by outside party
• Multiple signing authority on all
Governance accounts
•No closed directors meetings
•All key decisions are made via club
Operation vote
•Officers change on a yearly basis

Source: Project Refresh Phase 6 Online Focus Groups 39

 Want Support
• Members of this type of club score the highest on wishing that
their club had more members
• However, they have a very low desire for gender balance
• They seem as though they would like to be empowered to
help turn around the situation for their club
• In a rank ordered sense they:
 Wish they were more knowledgeable about the services that other
Lions clubs are providing around the world as well as the structure of
LCI
 They would appreciate a mentor to help explain things to them
 They would like more help from the District Leadership -- providing
both inspiration and support

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 40

 Clubs find support in many ways
Using External
Independents
Resources

Independently Straight to the

Internal Credit
minded: Clubs Source
feel they can
meet their needs
on their own.
Zone/District
LCI resources
Strong leadership: resources
Club leadership is
resourceful.

Website
Connected
members: Hold
district or
Categories are not international Newsletter
discreet. Respondent posts. “In-the-
may fall into more than
one grouping.
know.”

Source: Project Refresh Phase 6 Online Focus Groups 41

 Want Gender Balance
• These clubs have the fewest number of members in total and
the lowest ratio of women to men overall
• Members of these types of clubs would like more women to be
involved and wish that their club would allow more women to
serve leadership roles
• Interestingly, the survey respondents skewed slightly more
male

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 42

 Beyond equitable behavior is the challenge of Attitudes

Behaviors: Attitudes:
•Believe women bring unique
Truly value perspectives, a strong work
women ethic and make the club more
appealing and likely to grow.
Balanced
Roles
Accepted but •Establishing an attitude of
not fully valued equality is challenging.

Limited or not • Don’t see the value and face

Not valued true resistance.
accepted

Source: Project Refresh Phase 6 Online Focus Groups 43

 Percentage of club types around the world
 North America indexes high in Want Support clubs but low
in Family clubs

Gold Clubs Blue Clubs

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 44
 Gold clubs are receiving more support
District leadership provides helpful advice & guidance, club mentors help ensure the
club will succeed, Guiding Lions are flexible and attentive
Q: How much do you agree with the following statements about resources to assist
Lions with your club’s initiatives?(% Scoring 5 or 6 out of 6)
Gap
-5

-1

-6

-1

-10

-9

-3

-3

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 45

Giving of time and money varies by club type
 Family clubs show higher levels of time and money dedicated to club activity
 Want Openness club members are actually generous in their and money
 Social club members are satisfied but show low level of giving

25
Hours/Month Volunteered for Lions Cubs

Family
20
Philanthropic

15 Social
Want
Openness
Want Support
10 Want
Gender
5 Balance

0
0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6%
% of Income Donated to Lions Club

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 Where Blue Clubs are under-delivering
• Biggest gap is finding ways of involving children and families
• Also incorporating a sense of fun
Q10. When it comes to volunteer activities, how important to you are each of the following statements?
Importance MINUS
Q22. How well do the following statements describe your Lions club?

56

50

80

65

49
68
31

85
75
18

91
82
51

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 47

 Family Involvement a lost opportunity among Gold clubs as well
• Gold clubs do well in delivering on most attributes
• Incorporating a sense of fun and involving families are where common gaps are
Q10. When it comes to volunteer activities, how important to you are each of the following statements?
Importance MINUS
Q22. How well do the following statements describe your Lions club?

49

77

82

52

63
70

89
71
33

92

18
84
52

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 48

 North American Lions’ meeting frequency preference
 Clubs are meeting slightly more frequently than members prefer. 84% are actually
meeting a few times a month or more; however, only 70% prefer to meet that
frequently.

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 49

 Majority of Lions prefer to meet weekday evenings
 Most clubs are actually meeting at that time
 A few more would prefer weekday mornings.

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 50

 Many more Lions Clubs offer a meal than desired
 The majority of clubs meet over a meal (88%). However, only 70% prefer to
meet over a meal.

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 51

 NA Gold & Blue clubs identical on practice & perceptions of rituals.
NA more likely to find vest important.

Important
Practiced, but
Not important
Not practiced

Source: Project Refresh Phase 2 Survey of Current Lions 52

 Groupings of non-Lions loosely map to existing clubs
There are existing Lions Clubs for the most attractive 4 segments of Non-
Lions. There may be an opportunity for two variations of Philanthropic
Clubs -- Local and Beyond Local. Encouraging Social Clubs to allow
networking would make them more attractive to the Networking Non-
Lions.

Beyond Only
Local Local
Family Casual X
Family Social Philan-
Clubs Clubs thropic
Clubs Networking Low X
Provide Valuable Services Interest

Want Want
Want
Protections Gender
Support
Balance

Source: Project Refresh Ph 2 Current Lions & Ph 4 Non Lions Surveys 53

4. Conclusions and Next Steps

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Key takeaways
1. Club size matters
 There are thresholds of success for both existing and new clubs
2. 3 segments of successful clubs were identified:
 All index high on providing satisfying service experience
i. Family clubs – family involvement in club life is important
ii. Social clubs – enjoy the fellowship aspect but no interested in family involvement
iii. Philanthropic clubs – very focused on service but not so much on fellowship or
family involvement
3. There are 3 segments of challenged clubs:
 They index low in the quality of service experience
i. Want openness – frustrated with lack of transparency
ii. Want support – desired more members but is feeling lost; also not concerned
with lack of gender balance
iii. Want gender balance – frustrated with women not being treated as equals
4. Our unique rituals and customs are beginning to lose relevance
5. Non-Lion survey shows there is potential for growth
6. Women and families are key to our future success
7. There is a large gap in age profile between current clubs and their
communities
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Next Steps
 Recommend GMT and GLT teams focus on and emphasize
the importance of:
1. Chartering clubs at 25 or more members to make them more viable
2. Being sensitive to member experience
 Encourage the use of “How Are Your Ratings”
3. Making service central to everything we do
 Encouraging the use of Community Needs Assessment
4. Promote CEP as the way to synthesize member experience with
improved service to community
 Need to focus extension efforts in higher population area with
younger members
1. Establish more family-friendly clubs
2. Allow for networking opportunities
3. Need to learn from successful clubs in these areas about what works
4. Need CGL with experience with younger adults in high population
areas
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Thank you

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